Tali was still extremely sore that Monday when school resumed. From what she heard, Ari had put the fear of God into Kennedy when they had their little "chat" after the game on Friday. But there was also a rumor circulating that Kennedy had bought a gun and was planning to use it. This story worried Tali, so for most of the day she walked around with her hands in her pockets, her left keeping a tight grip on the knife that she carried all the time. ('Thanks for Rule 9, Grandpa Gibbs. Abba is using it now,' she thought.)
Her day was one of the best that she'd had in a long time... until 6th Period Biology ended. While she was walking to her 7th Period class (English), she felt a sharp kick in the small of her back, right near her kidneys.
"What the fuck did I tell you?!" Kennedy roared, lifting Tali back to her feet. He pinned her up against a wall, driving his forearm into her throat. "I said that if anyone found out, you'd be dead. I'm gonna enjoy this."
...-_-...
TJ kept looking around for Tali, surprised that she was missing a movie day, especially since The Great Dictator was one of her favorite movies. But then a horrible thought struck him: What if Kennedy got to her?
Under the pretense of going to the bathroom, TJ ducked out of class to look for Tali. He looked almost everywhere, and he was about to give up when he heard a banging sound coming from a locker... his locker. Not even a second after TJ got his locker open, Tali flew out and threw her arms around him, tears falling like Niagara Falls down her face. TJ was shaking with anger as he texted Ari, "Hallway. NOW."
"What happened, Tali?" TJ asked, trying to keep his voice calm and his temper in check.
"K- Kennedy happened," Tali stammered. "He jumped me on my way to class and..." She trailed off and started sobbing into TJ's shirt as Ari came around the corner and crouched next to his sister and his friend.
"What happened?" He asked, putting his hand on Tali's shoulder. "TALI! What happened?"
Tali looked up from TJ's shoulder and glared at Ari. "What do you think?"
Ari took one good look at Tali's face, and his blood pressure boiled over. His pupils contracted and his wrists started twitching, a tell-tale sign (To his closest friends) that someone was about to get hurt. BADLY.
"TJ, you stay with her," Ari said, opening his locker.
"What are you doing?" TJ asked, worried that Ari was about to do something stupid.
"It doesn't concern you." Ari slipped a knife into his pocket (to accompany the one strapped to his ankle), and started to walk off, but Tali caught his arm.
"Kennedy has a gun, Ari," she said. "He threatened to shoot me if I didn't-"
"I am going to fucking kill that bastard."
"Ari, don't."
"Tali-"
Ari was cut off by the bell ringing. The day was over, and Tali muttered a quick thank-you prayer.
"TJ, you walk Tali home," Ari ordered. "DON'T let her out of your sight until someone else gets home. Do you understand?"
"Got it," TJ answered. "What are you gonna do, Ari?"
"I don't know." Ari looked around the corner and his wrists started twitching even worse. "He's coming. GO."
TJ pulled Tali back to her feet, and with Ari's help, got her outside before Kennedy came around the corner. Ari bade TJ & Tali farewell and headed to the weight room, where he knew Kennedy was sure to be, because there was no game this week.
"Tali, you REALLY need to tell your parents what happened," TJ said.
"You know what will happen," Tali replied. "They'll kill-"
"And they'd be more subtle about it than Ari will. You know that's true."
"Shut up, dork."
"Hey..." TJ made a face, and Tali started laughing.
...-_-...
Tali had fallen asleep with her head on TJ's shoulder by the time that Ari got home. TJ was close to dozing off as well, at least until his phone started buzzing.
"Yeah?" He answered groggily.
"Timothy McGee, Junior, where are you?!"
"I'm with Ari and Tali, Mom."
"What are you doing?"
"Tali's sleeping, I'm watching Rocky, and Ari just got home."
"Why didn't you call or text me to let me know?"
"I texted Dad and told him."
"You did?"
"Yes. SO why are you yelling at me?"
Click.
Ari stood behind the couch, laughing quietly. "That reminded me of 21 Jump Street," he joked.
"What?" TJ asked, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
"You know," Tali said, stretching. "The movie."
Ari grinned maliciously. "Mom, get off the phone!" He suddenly yelled.
"I'm sorry, Doug, my teen son," Tali said.
"MOM!"
"I love you, honey. Doug. Dougie. Douglas McQuaid."
"Mom, so serious right now! STOP!" Ari and Tali started laughing at the look on TJ's face.
"What the hell was that?" TJ asked.
"That's from the movie," Tali said.
"You two are nuts." The next sound TJ made was a squeal of pain; Tali was giving him a purple nurple.
"What time is it?"
"Time for you to get a watch, TJ," Ari joked. "1530."
TJ jumped to his feet like his hair was on fire. "Gotta run. See you guys tomorrow."
"See ya, Teej," Tali said, giving TJ a hug.
...-_-...
About half an hour after TJ left, Tali retired to her room. Ziva got home ten minutes later while Ari was raiding the fridge.
"Hello?" She called loudly.
"In here," Ari replied.
"Where is Tali?" Ziva asked when she reached the kitchen.
Ari pointed to the ceiling. "Upstairs. You missed her by ten."
"Really?"
"Yes. But before you talk to her, there's something you need to know first. Her bully problem got a lot worse today."
"I thought you took care of it?"
"I did too. But he brought a gun to school today and threatened Tali with it after he beat the hell out of her."
Ziva turned and bolted up the stairs, and Ari returned to raiding the fridge, at least until he heard a blood-curdling scream from above his head.
"TALI!"
Ari dropped what he was holding and ran up the stairs to Tali's room.
"Mom, what happened?"
"Call your father. NOW!"
Ari nodded and called Tony as Ziva called 911.
"Director DiNozzo's office."
"I need to speak to the Director," Ari said. "It's a family emergency."
"Please hold."
Ari started pacing outside Tali's room, watching as Ziva attempted to revive her. Then his eyes fell to Tali's bed, upon which were open bottles of sleeping pills and vodka. Ari was relieved when he heard Tony's voice on the other end of the line.
"Director DiNozzo."
"Dad, you need to get home, NOW!"
"What happened, Ari?"
"Tali just tried to kill herself; sleeping pills and vodka."
Tony ran from his office to the elevator, the worst possible scenarios running through his mind. "I'm on my way. Tell your Mom to go with Tali."
"She just left in the ambulance; she told me to wait for you."
"I'll be there in 5." Click.
Not even two seconds after Tony hung up, Ari got a call from TJ.
"Ari, what happened?"
"What?"
"Tali texted me 'Goodbye' about ten minutes ago. What-"
"She just tried to commit suicide. She's going to Washington General, and I'll call you when I know more." Click. Ari ran down the stairs to meet Tony outside, muttering a quick prayer for Tali as he went.
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